Tharun Poduru
A founder and product manager building at the intersection of technology, design, and everyday life.
I'm the founder and CEO of Vritto, where I lead product, design, engineering, and AI to build a more connected way to organize everyday life.
Before founding Vritto, I built scalable, customer-focused systems as a Software Development Engineer at Amazon. That experience taught me how strong products emerge when customer needs, technical decisions, and cross-functional execution stay closely connected.
I hold an M.S. in Computer Science and an MBA, both from Santa Clara University. Together, those degrees shaped how I approach products: understand the system deeply, make deliberate strategic choices, and never lose sight of the person using what we build.
But this page isn't just about my career. It's also about curiosity, the projects and ideas I experiment with, my interest in storytelling and technology, and the experiences that have shaped how I think about building things.
Current Focus
My primary focus is Vritto, a company I founded around a simple product belief: the important parts of a person's life should work together without forcing them into a generic workspace or scattering their information across disconnected apps.
As founder, I set the product strategy and sequencing, design the experience, and build across the web platform, native iPhone and Android clients, backend systems, and AI layer. The work spans customer problems, information architecture, permissions, platform contracts, and the day-to-day judgment required to turn a broad vision into a coherent product.
Vritto brings together the different parts of my background. Engineering gives me the depth to understand what the system can support. Product management keeps the work anchored in customer value and thoughtful prioritization. Business strategy helps me make choices that can support a durable company, not only an impressive product demo.
My Journey
Growing up in Bengaluru, India — a hub of innovation and technology — I found inspiration watching company keynotes from the likes of Google, Samsung, and Apple. These events sparked my curiosity on how transformative products are envisioned, built, and brought to life.
While my ultimate aspiration has always been Product Management, I chose to start my journey in engineering. I believed that understanding the technical depths of product creation was crucial before stepping into a product role. This decision set the foundation for my career.
My professional path has been a progression of opportunities and learning. Starting my career at Wipro, I built a strong technical foundation, contributing to cloud-based solutions and enabling seamless data migrations for enterprise clients.
Driven by a desire to deepen my expertise, I moved to the U.S. to pursue a Master's in Computer Science at Santa Clara University. Immersed in the Silicon Valley ecosystem, I gained not only technical knowledge but also a global perspective on innovation and collaboration.
This journey led me to Amazon, where I worked as a Software Development Engineer on the Alexa Smart Properties team. At Amazon, I spearheaded initiatives to streamline device deployment processes for enterprise clients, including the Echo Show 15. These efforts resulted in faster rollouts, enhanced scalability, and empowered businesses to seamlessly integrate Alexa into their ecosystems. Collaborating across diverse teams, I developed secure APIs and multimodal tools that reduced time-to-market and improved operational efficiency, leaving a lasting impact on both the product and its users.
While working on these projects, I gained a firsthand view of how product managers lead through ambiguity, align cross-functional teams, and shape the product lifecycle around complex customer needs. That experience led me back to Santa Clara University for an MBA focused on product management, entrepreneurship, and marketing, which I completed in June 2026.
Along the way, I kept turning ideas into working products and strategic concepts. That progression—from engineering, through product and business education, to company building—ultimately led me to found Vritto.
Every step of this journey has reinforced the same motivation: building useful, customer-centered products with enough technical depth and strategic clarity to endure.
Guiding Principles
Customer Obsession
Every great product begins with a deep understanding of the customer. I believe in diving into customer pain points, empathizing with their needs, and delivering solutions that truly make a difference.
Innovation with Purpose
Technology should do more than just impress — it should solve real problems, inspire people, and push boundaries. I'm driven by creating solutions that are both cutting-edge and meaningful.
Integrity & Ownership
Trust and accountability are at the core of everything I do. Whether collaborating with a team or leading a project, I believe in taking responsibility and delivering with transparency.
People First
No product or company is built without people. I believe in fostering meaningful connections, valuing diverse perspectives, and creating environments where everyone can thrive.
Continuous Learning
The tech and business worlds are constantly evolving. Staying curious, seeking new knowledge, and embracing change are essential for growth — principles I live by every day.
Prioritization with Impact
Building impactful products means making thoughtful trade-offs. I focus on aligning efforts with both customer needs and business goals to deliver results that matter most.
Beyond Work
Movies have always been my favorite way to escape, explore, and experience the creativity of brilliant minds. Whether it's an action-packed thriller like The Bourne Ultimatum or an emotional drama, I love how movies immerse you in a world someone else has crafted with care and imagination. Over the years, I've enjoyed everything from solo theater outings to convincing 20 friends to join me for a movie night. Each experience reminds me of the power of storytelling to entertain, inspire, and bring people together.
When it comes to YouTube, creators like Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), Casey Neistat, Mark Rober, and Dude Perfect have shaped my perspective on creativity, storytelling, and innovation. Their content has deepened my curiosity for technology and entrepreneurship while giving me a behind-the-scenes look at how ideas come to life. Watching MKBHD unbox the latest gadgets or Casey Neistat tell a story through his lens has been both entertaining and inspiring.
Sports are a perfect mix of strategy, resilience, and teamwork. Whether it's watching Manchester City in football or the McLaren F1 team battle it out on the track, the emotional highs and lows remind me that no great achievement comes without challenges.